The birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem is most prominent. Many people think it as the beginning of the story of Christ. Actually, the story of Jesus did not begin in the manger of a Bethlehem stable. The story began far earlier. In fact it began shortly after the fall of Adam and Eve. God Himself had declared to our first parents the coming Saviour whom was called in the New Testament, the Lord Jesus Christ. This was the beginning of all stories concerning Jesus the Saviour.
Although the Bible consists of two testaments, the Lord does not provide two redemptive plans for salvation. The Lord has given only one Saviour to the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus the two testaments of the Bible have only one theme, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Saviour of the world both in the Old and the New Testament.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Saviour that God has sent to save sinners. Apart from Him, nobody can be saved. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” Furthermore Luke also recorded in Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”
Based on these two verses, it is clear that in both the Old and the New Testament Christ is the only way to enter the kingdom of God. Although He had not come in the flesh in the Old Testament time, God the Father had appointed Him as the only Saviour of the world. The redemptive plan of God for His people is the same even till today. God did not provide one way of salvation in the Old Testament and another in the New Testament. God has only one plan from the Old Testament till today. Salvation can be found only in Jesus Christ.
Thus, Jesus Christ did not become the Saviour of the world after He was born in Bethlehem. He is the Saviour both in Old and New Testament. However, it is reasonable to admit that the knowledge concerning the Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament has not been known fully by those believers as those who believe in the New Testament. But this does not mean that the Old Testament believers did not know anything about the Saviour. Jesus again gave the most wonderful statement concerning one of the believers in the Old Testament when He said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56).
Although the Bible consists of two testaments, the Lord does not provide two redemptive plans for salvation. The Lord has given only one Saviour to the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus the two testaments of the Bible have only one theme, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Saviour of the world both in the Old and the New Testament.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Saviour that God has sent to save sinners. Apart from Him, nobody can be saved. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” Furthermore Luke also recorded in Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”
Based on these two verses, it is clear that in both the Old and the New Testament Christ is the only way to enter the kingdom of God. Although He had not come in the flesh in the Old Testament time, God the Father had appointed Him as the only Saviour of the world. The redemptive plan of God for His people is the same even till today. God did not provide one way of salvation in the Old Testament and another in the New Testament. God has only one plan from the Old Testament till today. Salvation can be found only in Jesus Christ.
Thus, Jesus Christ did not become the Saviour of the world after He was born in Bethlehem. He is the Saviour both in Old and New Testament. However, it is reasonable to admit that the knowledge concerning the Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament has not been known fully by those believers as those who believe in the New Testament. But this does not mean that the Old Testament believers did not know anything about the Saviour. Jesus again gave the most wonderful statement concerning one of the believers in the Old Testament when He said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56).
Problem
If we say that Jesus Christ is the Saviour both in the Old and the New Testament, one may ask how was Jesus Christ become the Saviour in the Old Testament time? Did those believers really know Jesus Christ? If Jesus Christ could be known in the Old Testament as the Saviour of the world, why did not the Jews believe in Him? These are some of the questions that can be anticipated in this study.
Thus, in order to answer these questions, let us see the comparison of believers both in the Old and the New Testament. Those who believe in Jesus Christ after His ascension are right to say that they never saw the Lord Jesus Christ personally. But, through the scriptures, they believe and look back through the account of life, ministry, crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ. In the same way, the believers in the Old Testament, they did not see what would happen during the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, but they believed and looked forward to the promised Coming Saviour of the world. If the people in this generation can be saved through the record of scriptures, why was it impossible for those who lived in the Old Testament time, who looked forward for the coming of the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ?
Purpose
It is the writer’s intention in this thesis to present the life of the Lord Jesus Christ from the Old Testament perspective. Through this presentation, one might be convinced that the life, ministry, death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ could be seen in the Old Testament Scriptures.
The writer would cover all the scriptural promises concerning the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, from the book of Genesis to Malachi. The outline of this thesis would follow the order and sequence of the life of Jesus Christ as seen in the New Testament Scriptures.
Presupposition
The writer believes that the 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament are the only books inspired by God which are “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim 3:16-17). In addition, the writer believes that God provides the same redemptive plan for salvation both in the Old and New Testament namely through the Lord Jesus Christ.
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